According to Gallup research, managers account for over 70% of the difference in employee engagement levels. Stated differently, the relationship your employees have with their direct supervisors will have the biggest impact on how well your employees engage in their work. Many leaders are masterful at deceiving their boss about their true performance. One major challenge for CEOs is how ...
Wayne, the son of a professional football owner, shared his story at a conference I attended about the importance of hiring those with whom you have a good chemistry. His father had narrowed down a hiring decision between two great candidates for a key position within his football organization. But he was having trouble deciding between the two candidates. ...
When my wife, Kathy, and I work together on a project we’re a good team. Kathy’s a great catalyst to get a project going, while I make sure all the details and pertinent information is gathered. When we were receiving bids on a home project, Kathy secured multiple bids. But before the final selection I asked to see all ...
As a leader, there are times when I must referee between two staff members who have a dispute with each other. I remember years ago, I had an employee who voiced a legitimate complaint about another employee. This person provided a lot of compelling information against their co-worker. Their story was so convincing that I sided with them and ...
Over the years I have served on many different boards. Occasionally, I’ll serve alongside another board member who dominates the conversation, expressing opinions on almost every subject. Unfortunately, center-of-attention kinds of people don’t usually ask many questions or seek understanding. Instead, they tend to only offer uninformed opinions. This means that their input often overlooks important facts. They haven’t ...
If you ever doubt the power of words, watch a few of President Ronald Reagan’s speeches. Reagan’s charm in front of a camera, in part, made him a great President. He had a way of telling stories with the right amount of truth and humor to rally people to follow him. Columnist, Peggy Noonan, who worked for President Reagan, ...
As we watch the presidential debates, the destructive power of an impulsive statement or speaking the wrong words becomes more evident. The more you are in the public eye, the more words matter. Likewise, for business leaders who are often required to speak at team gatherings or public events, the choice of words can quickly destroy morale or people’s ...
Discovering your spiritual calling is extremely valuable, but there can be some downsides as well. For example, someone dedicated to their calling may overlook abuse. In an article on theconversation.com the authors claim, “People who feel that God intended them to be in their current workplace or industry might be more disposed to stay in their current role regardless of unfair ...
Bill felt isolated and depressed. As a small-town employer, Bill felt he had to guard his business problems from the local rumor mill, leaving him no place to turn. As a new member in our network, Bill discovered we were available to help. We provided counsel, yet we knew that Bill needed local support as well. The fear of rumors ...
Many business owners sign agreements to sell their business before discovering how to leverage that transaction for a greater charitable impact. Fortunately, Dennis was one we reached before it was too late. Dennis was in early discussions of selling his machine tooling business when I learned that none of his advisors had discussed with him donor advised funds. The result ...
Equipping Others to Do Work Differently
